Laurie Early

Shift Happens

We can stay “in the moment” all we want to, be mindful and appreciate each passing second–but, even if we do nothing else but count each breath we take, something, something somewhere, is shifting. Shift happens.

As I count down the hours, minutes and seconds to the Gregorian New Year we will all think of as 2019, I am preparing a book to use as my daily journal. A place to write down 2 or 3 moments of each day that made it special, or just different from other days. A way to keep each day from running into the next in my mind, as they seem to be continuous lately, no definition. For me, writing specific events down keeps this misty time-haze at bay.

For 2019, I have decided to also start to keep a little book I am calling “Joyful Thoughts & Happy Things” that I can carry around with me. It will be something I can refer to when unproductive or sad thoughts occupy my mind; I want to be able to immediately counteract them by reading things I have collected to cheer myself up, to intentionally raise my vibration and lighten a heavy mood.

In 2018, I used a large hardcover journal that was published by a friend. The extra content was really wonderful but because it was such a heavy book I could not take it with me on my travels. Then, this past August when we were in London, my dear friend, Anja, bought me a blank book published by the Victoria and Albert Museum with a cover illustration called “The Owl” by C.F.A. Voysey. I had purchased a set of thin “mini-books” that same day and one of them matched the gift from Anja – Voila! an instant “set”.

In the large book, I divided up the pages into 12 monthly sections and calculated that I could fit 365 days if I added a couple of date stamps on each page – so that’s what I did. Today I created monthly cover pages with some space on them so I can later add inspiring words or phrases.

As I read through my 2018 journal this evening, New Year’s Eve, I am not surprised to see many things that shifted within me this year, and many things that shifted in my environment. I feel empowered to face 2019 with a new sense of self and purpose. I am prompted to ask myself: “What shift would not surprise me in 2019?” and I think I would not be surprised if my sense of connectedness to my community grew stronger, if my personal goals became more defined, and if more opportunities to be of service to the world became available to me.

My “resolutions” for this year include: continuing self-directed Italian language learning; a mindfulness practice, and taking more actions combined with detachment from the outcome. I intend to simply take joy in the process of life and share as much of this joy with others as I can.

[My main image “HELLO 2019” is a photo of a layout I am considering for my journal’s cover page – I have not made a final decision yet, but that’s okay, I am detached from the outcome (*big smile*)]